Limitless Free Fall
by xWeAreGolden
Summary: Tris/Four. Tris chose Abnegation instead of Dauntless at her choosing ceremony. 3 months later, Abnegation is attacked by Dauntless soldiers under simulation. Tris finds herself being rescued by a Dauntless soldier by the name of Four. In the midst of war, he introduces her to what could have been if she chose Dauntless, and she finds herself falling for him.
1. Purgatory

I awaken with a start as gunshots penetrate the normally sound streets of Abnegation. I don't think, I just move. I quickly put on my slacks and grey shirt and sprint to the window to get an idea of what is going on.

That's when I see them marching in the streets, like death reapers in the night, dressed in black and holding weapons.

They are coming for us.

I know it. I hear gunshots ring ominously through the houses beside me and know I don't have much time.

My name is Beatrice Prior, but I don't think that's important anymore. The Dauntless sent to kill me won't care about my name. There is only one thing of single importance that can describe what I am. I am divergent. A ludicrous mix of my parent's faction Abnegation, my brother's current faction Erudite, and Dauntless. I chose Abnegation three months ago. Though looking back now, I have no idea why I wanted to be Dauntless. I used to think there was nothing greater than being wild and free as I watched the Dauntless kids jump on and off their trains. Now I know otherwise. Being Dauntless means killing. That is what they are here to do.

Annihilate the Abnegation.

Kill innocent people.

I finally reach the landing of my house and sprint through the vast living room. I need to reach my back door just past the kitchen. I need to escape and run to three houses down to where my parents live. I need to warn them.

I have to.

I feel sweat run down my face and push myself to go faster. I enter the kitchen and see the door. I am so close. The gunshots outside of my house get louder and I know I am running out of time. I finally reach the door handle when I hear a sharp Bang!

Out of instinct, I throw myself behind the kitchen island and try to calm my erratic breathing. I can hear a Dauntless soldier's footsteps as he enters my house.

I feel real fear for the first time in my life. I know this could be it. This could be where my life ends. Not only me, but my parents. I was so close to escaping, to warning them. Now my chance is gone. I close my eyes and feel tears slip through my eyelids as the soldier's footsteps get louder.

But there is a part of me that refuses to give up. The Dauntless part refuses to let me die without a fight. That is the part of me that pushes my hand to open a drawer above me and grab the handle of a cooking knife. This may be my only chance.

I hear the soldier enter the kitchen and stop behind the other side of the island. I quietly move myself to the edge of my side of the island and position my hand. As soon as the soldier moves near me, I will get up and stab him. I can do this. I can.

I hear him move towards me and as I pack up the courage to stab him, a hand moves over my mouth and silences my scream. Another hand grabs the knife in my hand and successfully pulls it away from me. I hear the clang of metal as the knife hits the floor and I close my eyes in defeat.

I say a silent prayer to my parents, wishing them to be safe. I also find myself praying for Caleb's safety in Edudite and for Susan and her family.

I'm waiting for the pain. I hope dying doesn't hurt that much. The seconds stretch on and I wonder what's taking so long. Then a voice whispers softly in my ear.

"Don't scream. I'm here to help you escape."

I open my eyes in surprise as the hand over my mouth pulls away. What? I move away and hesitantly turn around to face the Dauntless soldier for the first time.

I gasp in a breath of shock as I look upon my apparent rescuer. The Dauntless soldier who I come face to face with is beautiful, nothing like I thought he would look like. He is so achingly handsome with masculine features, broad shoulders, dark hair, and eyes so bright and blue that I can't help but lose myself in. And he is so young, but the slight wisdom that I find in his eyes tell me he has been through more than I will ever know.

I find myself willingly trusting him even though I know I shouldn't.

We break eye contact as another round of gunshots sound not too far away. Then he is grabbing my hand and pulling me with him to my back door. We escape my house and duck under a fence as a Dauntless soldier marches into my neighbor's yard.

"C'mon we have to get out of here." He says and prepares to move. But I don't budge.

"I won't leave without my parents." I say pleadingly as I look up at him. I need them to be safe. My eyes beckon him to help me. But he shakes his head with finality and I know that he won't let me.

He pulls me again, but I refuse to move. He sighs and looks down at me with a steely gaze. "Look either we get out of here or you stay here. You won't be able to help your parents either way. Do you understand? And even if they did survive, they would probably be better off knowing you were safe anyway."

He's right, though I don't want him to be. I reluctantly nod and as he pulls me, I finally follow him, stealing one last glance at my simple Abnegation house.

...

We finally stop running when we get to the train tracks. I am completely out of breath, adrenaline coursing through my veins. I was surprised at how well the Dauntless soldier was able to weave so effortlessly between the Abnegation houses, making sure that we weren't seen. He made sure that we kept on the move.

I suppose I owe him my life.

I see a train coming at fast speeds in the distance and look to the Dauntless soldier for explanation. The side of his mouth quirks in a half grin as he tips his head towards me.

"There's a first for everything, stiff." He nonchalantly responds to my questioning stare. My eyes widen as I finally understand what he wants me to do.

The train shoots past us and the Dauntless soldier jogs beside it. I take this as a cue and follow him. Although my legs burn from nonstop running, I can't help but also feel excitement bubble in my stomach. A part of me has always wanted to do this and now is my chance.

I watch as the Dauntless soldier effortlessly grabs one of the handles on the side cars and pulls himself in. I push myself to run faster and to focus on getting into the car. As soon as I line up with it, I throw myself sideway into it and land hard on my stomach. The Dauntless soldier reaches out and helps me get my legs in.

The Dauntless soldier then turns around and sits down against one of the walls. I move to sit next to him and let out a sigh of relief as I sit down beside him.

I made it.

We both sit in silence for a few moments, letting the wind whip past our faces. I turn to look at him and finally say the words that I've wanted to say this entire time.

"Thank you." He turns and holds my gaze for a moment. I think I see some sort of emotion appear in his eyes, but before I can be sure, he quickly shifts his gaze down.

"No problem stiff."

"Don't call me stiff." The words are out of my mouth before I can stop them and I feel my cheeks heat up in embarrassment.

I see him grin and reply, "What should I call you then?"

I think about it for a moment before answering.

"Tris."

...


	2. Rooftops

"Tris."

I smile a little as he repeats my name. My name sounds so soft on his lips, so right. Nothing like when people call me "Beatrice". I think I like it.

I look at him and suddenly, I'm curious as to what his name is. This entire time I have been referring to him as a 'Dauntless soldier'. It would be nice to call him by his name. "And what should I call you?"

He doesn't hesitate. His answer is automatic.

"Four."

Four. I can't help the bubble of laughter that rises on my lips. My savior's name is Four. How odd. He scowls at me slightly as I continue to laugh.

"What is so funny?" He asks, his eyes glaring at me.

I try to contain my laughter as I respond. "I've just never met someone with a number as their name."

I see him roll his eyes at me. "Four. I like it." I smile easily at him and he gives me a sideways glance. Who knows, this could be the start of an highly unlikely friendship.

...

I notice that the train increases speed as we move further away from the town. I still have no idea where we're going. Suddenly he begins to stand up. I stand up with him.

"Where are we going?"

He looks straight ahead as he answers. "Dauntless compound." I nod. So this is where they would have taken me had I chosen Dauntless. I feel a slight pang in my heart at the thought. He motions for me to stand next to him in front of the opening to the train car.

As the train moves faster, Four points outside the car. I look to where he's pointing to and can vaguely see the outline of a roof in the distance.

"We need to jump off right when the train is vertical to the roof. Got it?" I nod silently as the roof comes speeding towards us.

He gestures to me. "You go first." I look at him and realize he's not kidding. He's completely serious. I have to jump out of this train and land on that roof. I feel my heartbeat escalate and my palms begin to sweat. The roof is closer now.

It takes all but a few seconds for the train to be vertical with the roof. It's now or never. I inhale and break out in a run towards the open train car. My feet leave the train and I find myself weightless for a moment before my feet feel the impact of the roof. My landing is awful and I scrape my knee a little as I fall on the cement, but I made it. I finally let myself let go of the breath I was holding. Maybe I am more cut out for Dauntless than I thought.

I turn around just in time to see Four land gracefully on the roof, slightly running to slow down his inertia. I look away from him and stare back at the train. I jumped out of a moving train onto a roof of a building and could have easily fallen to my death, but I didn't. I still can't believe I just did that.

"It's the adrenaline rush."

I jump slightly as Four comes up behind me.

"What's the adrenaline rush?" I find myself asking as my back slightly brushes against his chest.

"That feeling that you feel. It makes you feel unstoppable. It makes you feel alive." I don't know why, but I am suddenly hyper aware of his close proximity to me. I don't know when it happened, but I feel safe with him. That is very dangerous. I feel the cold wind replace his warmth as he moves away.

I turn towards him. "You never actually told me what we're doing here."

"You mean what I'm doing here. You are going to stay here on this roof and hide behind those cement blocks over there while I disable the Dauntless."

What? "What do you mean disable the Dauntless?"

He sighs. "You don't think they're all willingly killing all those Abnegation do you?"

I don't say anything because I don't know. I'm waiting for him to explain it to me. He looks at me for a moment, seemingly deciding something before continuing.

"They are under a simulation created by the Erudite. Most of them don't know what they are doing. Most of them don't know they're killing innocent people right now! I have to stop them from this merciless killing." His voice rises in anger and I know it's not anger at me, but it's anger at them. Erudite.

My head begins to spin. Everything I thought I knew was wrong. I was wrong. About everything. The Dauntless aren't the enemy. So it was Erudite all along. All those times my father ranted about how the Erudite were hungry for power and eager to take control. All those articles from Erudite accusing the Abnegation of treachery. I never had a second thought of it. But now it all makes sense.

I shake my head. "I'll go with you."

"No." He answers simply. Somehow I knew he would say that. Well, I know what I'm going to say too. I will fight tooth and nail to help him no matter what I have to do.

"You have to let me come with you. You may think it's just your fight because you're Dauntless, but there are Abnegation dying out there. My people. I have to do whatever I can to help them!" I am huffing slightly by the time I finish my speech. I will not take no for an answer. He glares at me and I glare right back.

"You don't even know how to use a weapon!" I hear the control slowly slipping from his voice and I know I'm getting to him.

"You can teach me." I say simply.

"I don't have the time!" He is close to yelling now.

"Then make time!" I say stubbornly.

I watch quietly as he lets out a yell of frustration. He shakes his head and walks up to me, grabbing my arm roughly. He lowers his head down to mine intimidatingly. I can't help but look up and see his cobalt eyes darken in anger. But I refuse to budge.

"Do you have a death wish Stiff?" He spits out. His hand tightens on my arm warningly and I don't think. I react. That's becoming a habit of mine.

My palm makes contact with his jaw and he releases my arm. He stumbles back, probably more out of shock rather than hurt. That makes two of us. I look down at my right hand which still stings from the slap I gave Four. I hesitantly look up and see him turn his red cheek until he is looking at me. There is no going back now. This is my chance to prove myself.

I catch his gaze and begin. "No I don't. But you are delusional if you think I'm going to just stand by and not do anything. We are in the middle of a war and I am willing to do whatever it takes to help the Abnegation. And my name is Tris, not stiff." I emphasize strongly as I stare at him.

I see something akin to awe and shock flicker across the dark blue of his irises before his stony gaze is back. He turns around and I see him shake his head.

"Fine. But if you die-" He pauses and I can't help but squint my eyes at the back of his head questioningly. He takes a breath and continues. " It's on you."

I nod even though he can't see me. "Tell me what I have to do."

...


End file.
